Come Back To Me
by MKAmericanhero
Summary: Emily knows the most about loss, so who else would a teacher turn to when Spencer is spiraling out of control? ONE SHOT


**So this came to me after the last episode and that interaction with Spencer and Ella. It became an Emily and Ella thing, but here it is.**

When the bell rang Ella watched as Spencer stood up and quickly left the classroom. It was the most interaction that Ella had seen Spencer take part in for the last few days. She knew that break ups could be hard and that when you're a teenager everything seems like its amplified. She couldn't put her finger on what was going on with Spencer and she was at a loss of how to go about helping this girl whom she had known for so many years. Students started filtering in to her classroom and Ella knew that she would have to deal with the issue later. She made it through that fifth period class with relative ease and she was thankful the sixth period was the end of her day. She was also happy that her sixth period class meant that she would have a chance to see one of Spencer's best friends, as Emily was in the Ella's sixth period AP class. They had a test that day so the entire class period Ella tried to choose her words carefully and was brought back into reality when the final bell rang.

"Emily can I speak to you for a moment." Emily looked up from her seat as she stood up. She stood up and packed up her bag, but ultimately stood still waiting for her teacher to approach her. The classroom emptied quickly, but when Ella looked up she noticed that she wasn't alone with Emily because Paige was hovering about two feet behind her girlfriend. Ella walked over to Emily and looked over to Paige.

"Paige would it be alright if I talked to Emily in private just for a few minutes?" Paige looked to Emily to get an idea if it was ok for her to wait outside.

"It's ok, I'll just be a few minutes." Paige glanced over to Ella as if to drive home the idea that she was not comfortable with leaving Emily at all. Emily saw it and walked over to Paige and pulled her aside. Ella couldn't hear what the two girls said, but Emily spoke in a soothing tone and held Paige's hands tightly in her own, slowly rubbing circles against Paige's hand with her thumb. Paige nodded her head as if to communicate she understood whatever it was Emily was telling her. She looked back at Ella, said one more thing to Emily and kissed her a little longer than usual before picking up her bag. Emily had to smile as Paige finally walked out of the door. That kiss was different from all their other goodbye kisses, that kiss was supposed to send a very clear message to Ella: that Emily was her girlfriend and she was going to protect her. Once the door closed Emily turned back to Ella.

"Sorry about that, ever since the lighthouse she has been super protective."

"You two were in a terrifying situation that night and she had to watch you run away, not knowing if you were ok. I'd be protective of you too."

"It's not that she doesn't trust you to be alone with me, she just…we've been through a lot."

"You in particular have been through a lot."

"No offense Ms. Montgomery, but I have a therapist to talk to about me having to kill in self defense and my numerous near death experiences, so if that was what you wanted to talk about I promise I have it covered."

"Actually I wanted to talk to you about Spencer."

"What about Spencer, because I'm sure she could answer your questions better than me."

"I'm worried about Spencer." Emily's facial expression changed and Ella noticed it. "I was hoping that maybe you could talk to her."

"Why me, why can't you talk to her? I mean you're a teacher and Aria's mom, just ask her."

"I've tried, we've all tried and I'm worried. I know that things have been really hurting her a lot lately, but I've never seen her this…"

"Broken." Emily offered and Ella nodded her head.

"I was hoping that maybe one of you girls could reach her better than an of the adults in her life could."

"Ok, then why me? Why not Aria or Hanna?"

"This is going to sound awful, but you have the most experience with loss, I was hoping that maybe Spencer would open up more to someone who has been there before."

"Then you need to be talking to Hanna not me." Emily was a little short in her response and Ella looked at her confused.

"Hanna has had boyfriends that didn't work out, she's been dumped before. I haven't felt that pain before. I left Ben because he tried to hurt me and I've had to bury Ali and then Maya, bury two girlfriends. I've had those days where I want to curl up I a ball and die because death has to be easier than this. I had to stab someone, kill someone because he had a knife at my girlfriend's throat and then to my own. I know that life can be unfair and then it can turn around and give you everything you ever wanted. So with all due respect Ms. Montgomery, as much as I want to help Spencer through her depression we are talking about two different versions of hell."

"Emily, I'm sorry I didn't mean to rub salt in the wounds of your past. I just don't want to have Spencer spiral out of control." Emily felt bad, she wanted to help her friend, but she just got to a place in her life where she felt any trace of happiness.

"I'll do what I can with Spence. I'll try to talk to her, but in case it doesn't work and someone else tries, don't compare her to me. She and I already had a nose to nose about how she thinks she's the only one allowed to feel pain." Emily placed her bag over her shoulder and looked at Ella, "can I go home now please?" Emily had tears in her eyes and she was trying to put on a brave front.

"Are you ok?" Ella didn't have the intention of bring up bad feelings for Emily and she felt guilty.

"Paige drove this morning, she's driving us back to my house."

"That isn't what I asked Emily."

"I'm going to be fine, I'll talk to Paige about it when we get home."

"Paige has helped you through a lot?"

"Nothing brings lovers closer together than almost dying together. That night changed everything, but we managed to make it somehow positive. She makes me happy, makes me feel safe." At that moment Paige knocked on the classroom window and Emily smiled, "and at the moment she is getting a little anxious so if we're done I'd like to go."

"Of course." Ella went back to her desk and started backing up her things, "I'll walk you guys out. Emily?"

"Yeah." Emily made eye contact with her teacher.

"When you said Ben tried to hurt you, what did you mean?"

Emily looked at Paige through the window offering her a smile before turning back to Ella, "what do you think I mean?" Emily never wavered in her eye contact with Ella and eventually Ella allowed herself to think that the unthinkable had happened to her daughter's best friend, a girl who had already been through so much.

"Emily did he…" Emily cut off her teacher before she said the word.

"No, he didn't, but he tried to, probably would have, but somebody saved me."

"Who?"

"Oddly enough, Toby. Guess people really do change an not always for the better. I'll see if I can help Spencer out, but I make no promises."

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, I love her too and besides she was there for me when my world fell apart, I should return the favor." Ella watched as Emily walked out of the classroom and immediately linked hands with Paige. The teenagers took off down the hallway with Ella a few feet behind them, watching as the spoke and laughed at something that Paige had said to Emily. They stole kisses when they thought no one was looking and when they got outside Paige left Emily near the school entrance while she went to go get her car. Ella stood next to Emily and waited until Paige pulled up. Paige jumped out of the driver seat and walked over to Emily, opening her door and helping her into the car. Ella couldn't help but giggle a little at the act of chivalry. Paige turned around after the door was closed and smiled at her teacher.

"Something funny Ms. Montgomery?"

"No, looks like Emily found a real gentlemen in you."

"I'll take that as a complement."

"I meant it as one." Paige was about to turn and leave when Ella called her back. When the teenager turned around Ella held out her hand like she expected Paige to shake it.

"Why does it look like you want to shake my hand?"

"Because I do. Look, you don't seem like you like anyone other than Emily hugging you so I figured a handshake would be a good way to say thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Paige tentatively shook her teacher's hand, still not sure where this was going. Ella let go of the teen's hand and nodded back to the car.

"I never thought we'd ever see her happy again. After Maya died, its like the light went out of her eyes and we weren't sure if it would ever be back, if we would ever get her back. Then you came back into her life and it's like she came back with you. You've supported her through some tough stuff and what you two have gone through is a testament to how much you love each other. So thank you, because the girls didn't know how to pick her up the last time things fell apart; you did what no one else could do."

"You don't ever have to thank me for loving her. I'm shocked that she gave me a second chance, but now that I have her back in my life, I won't let anyone hurt her." Paige looked up to the sound of Emily honking the horn and the swimmer laughed. "I promised her a movie night at her house, I should go. Night Ms. Montgomery."

"Goodnight Paige." Ella watched the car leave the parking lot and she held out a small ounce of hope that if Emily could come back from all her pain that maybe Spencer could too.


End file.
